Over the years I have adapted my fancier Rich Molasses Braised Beef Roast Recipe to be quite elaborate, and no doubt incredibly delicious, sweet and savory with quite a long ingredient list. But, recently with the cold weather, probably pressed for time and convenience, I went back to the original recipe my mom sent me to college with….1 beef roast, 1 onion, 1 quart beef stock. She called them “hot beefs” and served them on little white buns. I forgot how good the simple version is.
After 8 hours in my oven the smell took me right back to the little kitchen booth at my Grandma’s house that we all preferred to cram around, instead of the big dining room table. In my memory, every time we ate dinner at Grandma’s, we had beef roast and mashed potatoes. As a kid I didn’t know how lucky I was, I was probably hoping for pizza or something. I loved that little kitchen booth, padded pink vinyl under floral wallpaper, endless games of Gin Rumy, Double Solitaire, Parcheesi, Chinese Checkers, and Monopoly with my cousins and Grandma, while Grandpa had a martini and got 90% of the Jeopordy! clues right.
Got Beef LEFTOVERS??
The simple flavors of this basic beef roast version allow for great possibilities in leftovers. My favorite is Ragu Pasta Bake, RECIPE HERE, a hearty tomato sauce with some of the shredded beef, tossed with pasta and baked in a casserole with lots of melty cheese! I’ve also used the beef as a taco filling with pico de gallo salsa and shredded cabbage on charred tortillas with Mexican crumbled queso fresco and guacamole. It freezes well, so you can also save it for another beef roast night, on sandwiches, buns or paninis.
Simply Perfect Beef Roast
Ingredients
- 3 lb beef roast (seasoned with 2t kosher salt, 15 grinds black pepper, and 2 T flour)
- 1 onion
- 1 quart beef stock
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°
- On the stove top, preheat a large soup pot to medium and add about 2T olive oil
- On a large plate or the brown paper packaging, season the roast on all sides with 2t salt and 15 grinds black pepper and then coat the roast in flour, a few tablespoons, whatever will stick
- Add the beef to the hot pot, letting it sear on one side to a dark brown color, do not move it around in the pot
- When browned well, flip the beef with tongs to brown the other side and add onion to start sauteing around the beef
- When the second side is browned and the onions soft, add the beef stock and stir
- Transfer the entire pot to the oven, covered, and cook for about 8 hours, stirring and flipping the roast once or twice during the day. (Note: make sure to check on the roast in the last 1 or 2 hours, if you still have plenty of liquid, remove the lid for the final hour to thicken the sauce, if you don't have enough liquid, add a bit of water so the roast doesn't burn).
- After 7 or 8 hours the meat will be extremely tender and can be shredded with tongs, while the liquid will have reduced leaving the beef in a thick dark sauce. Discard and large pieces of fat or gristle.
- Serve with mashed potatoes and roasted veggies, over grilled bread, or on sandwich buns. Leftovers can be frozen or used in tacos or tomato Ragu Pasta Bake.
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